Pipe Dream

A movie being made about a movie being made, behind the scenes stuff that you never get to see made this soulfully made and sharply done little film a hit for me. The actors found ways to get to you, an all around great and believable job each and every one. Much fun here to be enjoyed. Highly recomended for a great movie watch. Bring the popcorn and have a sit!

Saw this in preview at the Seattle Film Festival, and was wowed by Parker and Donovan -- also found the script immensely smarter and funnier than most of what passes for romantic comedy these days. This movie deserves a wide audience, I hope it gets a chance to find it.

There's a scene towards the very end of the movie, where Mary-Louise Parker .. bit.ly/Suuvwk .. (now the director) and Martin Donovan are talking about the filming setup. It is here that you see just how good an actor she truly is... watching her very subtle and natural facial movements adding depth to her character and the role. All the cast is good and the script is sharp and witty. This is a very good movie, smartly made and very well acted. It's easily four star.. even slightly higher. That same scene at the very end of the film shows a corner street sign.. anyone from the city know what part of town that is? (Good number of family members one time lived right around the corner.)

It is a breezy comedy about identity crisis - a plumber, a screenwriter, a casting professional. Using the process/journey of making a film as the storyline, tying the various characters and relationship concerns together, "Pipe Dream" is rather amusingly fun. Watching Martin Donovan and Mary Louise Parker interact is a treat. They are both the leads in this film, front and centered. Their enjoyable pairing in supporting roles can be appreciated in w-d Brian Dannelly's "Saved!" 2004. Both appeared in Jane Campion's "Portrait of a Lady" 1996 with Nicole Kidman.

Martin Donovan is a staple collaborator in Hal Hartley's films: "Amateur" 1994, "Simple Men" 1992, "Trust" 1991 (highly recommended. NFE: Not for everyone.) He's also remarkable in director Angela Pope's "Hollow Reed" 1995, about child custody situation, where Martin delivered a firm and sensitive role of a divorced father/doctor who lives with a male partner (heart-rending, excellent child performance from Sam Bould as Oliver, the 9-year old son). Donovan co-wrote (with David Koepp) and directed a film called "Apartment Zero" 1988, with Colin Firth in the lead - another NFE but for dark/psycho ventures/suspense (in Buenos Aires) if you're gamed.

Mary Louise Parker is ever so marvelous and underrated. She's in w-d Jeremy Podeswa's "Five Senses" 1999 (Canadian production), Herbert Ross's "Boys on the Side" 1994 (written by Don Roos) with Whoopi Goldberg and Drew Barrymore, Jon Avnet's "Fried Green Tomatoes" 1991 with a stellar women cast.

For an Asian (Hong Kong) flavor of a movie/comedy drama using process of making a film as storyline, try the forever versatile and talented Leslie Cheung in "Viva Erotica" aka "Se Qing Nan Nu" 1996.

"Pipe Dream" tells a simple tale of a plumber (Donovan) who falls in like with a screen writer (Parker) and, using her script for phony movie auditions as a way to meet babes, ends up directing an indie which may just be the next big thing. Like so much tofu, "Pipe Dream" is bland, light, reasonably palatable, and isn't likely to win any awards for its food group. An easy-going, good natured flick with little to fault and little to praise, "Pipe Dream" makes for an enjoyable though forgettable 90 minute watch. (B-)